FIRST RECORDS OF EYE-FREQUENTING LEPIDOPTERA FROM NEPAL 



365 



The tropical dry-deciduous forest extends from the Terai, i.e. 200 m to 1000 m 

 (and in extrême cases up to 1500 m). It consists of the moist, or moderately moist, 

 Sal Forest, including the subtropical séries. At altitudes of 1300 — 1600 m Pine 

 (Pinus roxburghii) forest is abundant. 



Within the investigation area we have also met the tropical evergreen montane 

 forests, viz. the séries of the Castanopsis forest and the séries of the mixed leaf 

 forest. 



According to Engler (1964) the végétation of the subtropical belt belongs 

 to the monsoon région, that of the temperate area to the temperate East Asiatic 

 Région and that of the subalpine and alpine séries to the Central Asiatic Région. 



The only two records of eye-frequenting moths were obtained in the area of 

 the tropical (dry) deciduous forest (" wet Sal Forest " of Champion), the charac- 

 teristic plant species being according to Schweinfurth (1957): 



Bridelia robusta Lagerstroemia parviflora 



Dalbergia Sissoo Phoenix humilis 



Dillenia pentagyna Schima Wallichii 



Dipterocarpus ssp. Shorea robusta (dominant) 



Duabanga sonner atioide s Stereospermum tetragonum 



Ficus benjaminiana Sterculia villosa 



Graruga pinnata Terminalia belerica 



Grewia vestita Terminalia crenulata 



Impearata arundinacea Tetrameles nudiflora 



The Shorea robusta forest is a typical Savanna forest. Shorea robusta domi- 

 nâtes over the remaining species. However the forest is not completely deciduous 

 in the area in question as there are several evergreen species interspersed with the 

 deciduous ones, and a pure stand of " sal " is rare, due to the existing agricultural 

 activity. 



It is of interest to note that this type of végétation also exists in the valley of 

 Kathmandu, though in small patches only. This deciduous forest belt continues 

 upwards to the main agricultural area and either to the Castanopsis tropical 

 evergreen montane or to the Pinus roxburghii forests. 



The dominant part of the Kathmandu Valley (1300-1400 m) has to be placed 

 to the Castanopsis forest (tropical evergreen montane forest, warm temperate 

 séries). 



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 



The author takes great pleasure in extending his sincère thanks to the many 

 officiais of the Royal Népal Government for their assistance given; to Prof. 



